5-6-14 Gaoxiong West Zone Training Meeting

The zone leaders patterned zone training meeting after the instruction they received at MLC. He asked the missionaries in the Gaoxiong West Zone, "Who has faith great enough to go out and find someone within an hour that the Lord had prepared to be taught and baptized?" Again, many hands were raised. 

These two elders were among the first. They immediately left. Afterwards, their zone humbly knelt and exercised their faith as President was invited to offer a prayer. Divided into groups, the zone leaders asked us to share our favorite scriptures on faith. I had to share Alma 32:41-42, wherein we learn that as we exercise faith in the word of God, it shall take root in us and spring up into a tree of everlasting life, whereby we may pluck the most precious fruit of all, a representation of the love of God, even the gifts of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Imagine having our own personal tree of life in our very own backyard, to harvest from according to our wants and needs!

After what we witnessed during Mission Leadership Council, President and I smiled, and were not surprised, when the two elders returned within 20 minutes:)

Because these two elders were serving far south of Gaoxiong city, they asked to borrow the local elders' bikes. The four missionaries left to fetch the bikes outside, and afterwards, together offered a prayer that Heavenly Father would direct the two departing elders to someone who needed the gospel. Not to their praise or admiration, but to glorify the Father, and to inspire and empower missionaries to exercise faith in finding those who are prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

As the two were about to leave the chapel grounds, a young man was walking on the sidewalk outside the front gate. The elders engaged him in a conversation and, owing to the time, showed him a baptismal leaflet and began testifying of baptism as a means of starting anew. The young man asked if it was possible to be baptized in a river! He was sincerely desirous to learn more, and willing to set a baptismal goal and exercise his faith in coming to know Christ:)

After the miraculous experience, the zone leaders led another activity, dividing the missionaries into two groups. This group represented "golden" investigators, however, only "golden" to a specific missionary.

This group represented missionaries, whose task was to find their "golden" investigators. The best way to succeed? Talk to everyone!

Ready, set, GO!

They might be unwilling at first:

At school:

In the park:

At the gym:

At the store:

At work:

On the road:)

In the library:

At a family gathering:

Getting a haircut:

At the beauty salon:

At the post office:

During a lunch break:

Next door neighbor:

Your teacher:

At the beach:

With your best friend:

Even if he happens to like wearing sock with his flip-flops:

While waiting for the bus:

On your commute:

Could he be the one?

 YES!

One of our missionaries, in sharing her experience with this activity, said she offered a silent prayer to be able to find her "golden" investigator. President was touched by what we learned that day from our missionaries, concluding that if faith-filled prayers could help missionaries be successful in a finding activities, how much greater could faith-filled prayers help missionaries find those who had been prepared by the Lord to receive the gospel. In order to attain our mission goal of 60 baptisms in May, we needed faith-filled prayers coupled with diligent finding!

The Gaoxiong West Zone: